Roberto Martinez stood at a press conference on the eve of Portugal’s World Cup opener and said, with a straight face, that Cristiano Ronaldo at 41 has the same emotional intensity as Ronaldo at 21.
He may be right. But the fact that he felt the need to say it at all tells something.
Portugal arrive at the 2026 World Cup as genuine contenders. Bruno Fernandes won Premier League player of the year. Vitinha and Joao Neves just won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG. Bernardo Silva is joining Real Madrid after nine trophy-laden years at Manchester City. This is arguably the most talented Portuguese generation since Eusebio. Their midfield alone could start for half the teams in this tournament.
And yet the conversation, as it always is, keeps finding its way back to Ronaldo.
Not because of what he’s doing but because of what he has not done. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner hasn’t scored in his last nine games for Portugal. He gives almost nothing defensively now. The debate about whether he should still start isn’t going away.
Martinez’s answer on Tuesday was as firm as it has always been. “Within our attacking game, his numbers reflect the importance he has,” he said. “He is the finisher, he is the player in the penalty area, he is the player who has those movements that can open spaces for other players.”
He also reached for the legacy argument. “For all those children on the street who begin to feel the love for sport, following the example of Cristiano Ronaldo is wonderful.”
It is a curious thing to lead with at a World Cup press conference however, Inspiration does not win you games.
Whatever the tactical debate though, Ronaldo’s presence in this squad carries weight that statistics alone do not capture. Teammates who grew up watching him, who experienced their first major tournament through his performances, are now playing alongside him. Bruno Fernandes was a child when a 19-year-old Ronaldo carried Portugal to the Euro 2004 final on home soil. And that is not nothing.
“We have all grown up watching Cristiano Ronaldo play,” Fernandes said. “For us it is such an honour to play next to him now in the same team.”
But sentiment, be it honour is not a substitute for goals. And Portugal, with the squad they currently have, need execution to go deep in this tournament.
Martinez himself acknowledged the tightrope his team walks heading into the opener against DR Congo, pointing to Spain’s shock goalless draw with Cape Verde as a warning. “If you win by one, it’s a big problem. If you draw, it’s a catastrophe. If you lose, this is the end of the world,” he said, with the resigned clarity of a man who has been in football long enough to know that pressure does not care about reputation.
